Agyapa Royalties deal: Osafo-Maafo’s role may result in a conflict of interest – Economic analyst

Kofi Bosompen Osafo-Maafo’s involvement in the Agyapa Minerals Royalties deal has been greeted with a lot of criticisms.

Samuel Bekoe, an economic analyst, who is on the side of the sceptics has stated categorically that what we have on our hands is a clear conflict of interest.

According to him, the Senior Minister’s son must immediately recuse himself from any position relating to the Agyapa Minerals Royalties deal.

“This is not a matter of someone who qualifies being denied the opportunity to hold a public position...it is because we know that your private interest will always be ahead of your public duty,” Samuel Bekoe said on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Wednesday.

Bekoe added that if the government intends to appoint individuals to occupy a position in the Agyapa Mineral Royalties deal, it should be done in a more open way to ensure fairness and transparency.

“What we are saying is that once there is a politically exposed person, first, the disclosure must go beyond a usual disclosure. You need to ensure that you update the public on every step of the process, every stage you get into and that is what we are asking for,” Bekoe stated.

Samuel Bekoe added: “...it raises the risk of nepotism and therefore the only way you can deal with the risk is to ensure that you publish enough information and you make sure that anybody related to such persons recuses themselves or resign themselves from that activity”.

Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, the information minister, had said earlier on Joy FM that Kofi Osafo-Maafo was appointed to engage in the Agyapa Royalties deal because he has experience in mineral royalties’ transactions and has a track record in some of the countries he has worked in.

He had sought to rationalize nepotism by saying that nothing barred Kofi Osafo-Maafo from participating in the deal and that he did not think it was a scheme by the NPP administration to amass wealth for persons close to the President.